Lock.



H. W. WOODRUFF.

LOOK.

APPLICATION FILED J RN. 6, i910.

Patented Se t. 6,1910.

Arm/mmms NDRRIS FETER 50-, WASHANGYON. n c.

HORACE W. WOODRUFF, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

Original application filed October 23, 1909, Serial No. 524,182. Dividedand this application filed January To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HoRAcE WV. WVooD- RUFF, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans andState of Louisiana, have invented certain Improvements in Locks, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This application is a division of my application for patent for aportable safe for valuables, filed October 23, 1909, Serial No. 524,182,and allowed December 23, 1909.

My invention is an improvement in the class of locks wherein a slidablebolt or latch is operated by rotatable tumblers controlled by a numbereddial that is visible and accessible on the exterior of the safe to whichthe lock is applied.

My invention relates particularly to means for locking the bolt or latchin the engaging or projected position.

The said means consist of a movable springactuated stop arranged toproject into the path of the bolt or latch, and a pivotal spring-supportand trip therefor adapted to be automatically operated when the safe isclosed.

The details of construction, combination, and operation of parts are ashereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved lock. Figs. 2, 3 and4 are face views of the lock with the cover removed, showing differentpositions of the locking mechanism, as will be hereinafter described.Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section on the line 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the dial and connected parts rigidly attachedthereto, whereby the rotary tumblers of the lock are operated.

1 indicates the dial and 2, the casing of the lock. It will beunderstood that, in practice, the casing, with the lock mechanisminclosed, is to be properly attached and secured to the door or otherclosure of a safe, and that the numbered dial 1 is to be applied so thatit is visible and accessible on the outer side of such door or closure.

The dial has a central stem 3 and a notched annular collar or cam 4provided with a lug 5. In the operation of the lock, this lug engages acorresponding one on the outer or ad acent tumbler. A series of tumblers6 are employed and severally provided with lugs so that, when the outertumbler is ro- Serial No. 536,646.

tated, the others may be rotated in succession as required for placingthem with their peripheral notches in alinement. When the notches arethus alined, they receive the nose 7 of a dog 8 which is pivoted at 9 tothe slidable bolt or latch 10. The nose is held normally pressed on theperipheries of the tumblers 6 by means of a spring 11. When the nose ofthe dog has entered the notches, as aforesaid, and the tumblers arerotated by means of the dial 1, the bolt 10 may be retracted against thetension of the springs 12 which hold it normally projected, as shown inFigs. 2 and 4.

The outer end of the bolt may be beveled like certain forms of doorlatches, so that, in closing the door or other part to which the lockmechanism may be applied, the bolt will be forced back so as to engageautomatically when again projected by means of the tension of springs12. the bolt within the casing 2 is bifurcated, the arms 10 and 10diverging, as shown. The dog 8 is pivoted to the shorter arm 10 and theother arm 10 is slotted to receive a lug 13 of the casing through whicha securing pin 14 is inserted.

My invention relates particularly to the means which I will now describefor locking the bolt in the projected position indicated in Figs. 2 and4.

15 indicates a short bar, hereinafter termed a stop, which is slidablebetween the lugs 16 forming a fixed attachment of the casing, and aspring 17 bears on the outer end of said stop, as shown in Figs. 2, 3and 4. This stop has on its outer side a lug or pin 18 that projectsthrough a slot 19 in the casing 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. This lugor pin serves as a means for setting the stop 15 manually, as will befurther described.

20 indicates a device in the form of a curved bar simulating a hook,which is pivoted to the casing at 21, and whose nose or notched end isheld normally projected into the path of the stop 15 by means of aspring 22. It will be seen that the nose of this device is provided witha notch or shoulder, whereby it is adapted to engage and support thestop 15 in its retracted position, shown in Fig. 2. The main or chiefpurpose of the projecting end or claw of the stopsupport 20 is to serveas a point of contact for the dog 8 when the bolt is retracted or pushedback, as shown in Fig. 3.

The portion of In practice, a thin metal plate 23 is applied over thestop and its support for the purpose of holding them in due positionparallel to the back of the casing 2. A larger plate constitutes theback of the casing 2, the same being indicated in Figs. 1 and 5.

The operation of my invention is as follows. It being supposed that thedoor or other movable portion of a safe is to be closed, the stop 15 isretracted and set in the position indicated in Fig. 2, whereby it issupported on the claw or shoulder of the device 20. In other words, thelatter holds the stop retracted against the tension of the spring. Itwill now be apparent that, upon closing the safe, the bolt or latch 10will be pushed back and-the nose of the dog 8 will, in such case, engagethe claw or free end of the support 20 and force it back, as indicatedin Fig. 3, the dog at the same time passing under the adjacent end ofthe stop 15. hen the door of the safe is closed, the tension of thesprings 12 will instantly pro ject the bolt or latch 10 into theposition shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and the dog 8 will thus be carried outof engagement with the stop 15, and its support 20, and the stop willshoot into the position indicated in Fig. 4:, or, in other Words, intoengagement with the head or nose 7 of the dog. Thus, the bolt 10 will belocked against retraction until the dog shall again be operated manuallythrough the medium of the dial 1 and the tumblers 6. In such lockingposition of the stop 15, it may be arrested by engagement with the clawor shoulder of the support 20, or the lugs 16 may answer the samepurpose by reason of the engagement of a shoulder of the stop therewith,as shown in Fig. 4.

It will be seen that the stop operates automatically upon closing thedoor of the safe to which the locking mechanism is applied. In otherwords, when the support 20 is pushed back or tripped by the dog 8, whichis in turn pushed back by the retraction of the bolt 10, the stop 15being freed from the support 20, will be projected downward intoengagement with the head of the dog, as shown in Fig. 4, when the boltand dog are projected to their original positions,-indicated in Figs. 2and 4. \Vhen the bolt or latch 10 is thus locked, it is obvious that itcannot be retracted nor the safe opened until the combination of thelock shall be operated 'in the proper manner through the medium of thedial 1 and its attached portions 4 and 5.

WVhat I claim is 1. The combination with a casing, rotatable tumblers, aspring-actuated slidable bolt and a dog attached to the bolt and adaptedto engage said tumblers, of a spring-actuated movable device adapted toproject into the path of said dog to prevent retraction of the bolt savewhen actuated by the tumblers, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a casing, rotatable tumblers, a spring-actuatedslidable bolt and a dog pivoted to said bolt within the casing andhaving a nose adapted to engage the notched tumblers, of aspring-actuated movable device adapted to project into the path of thedog, and a spring-actuated support for said device, said support beingadapted to hold said device in retracted position and out of engagementwith the dog, the free end of the support lying in the path of the dogso that when the bolt and dog are pushed inward, the support isdisengaged from the movable device, which is thus left free to projectinto engagement with the nose of the dog and hold the dog againstretraction, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a casing, a slidable spring-actuated bolt havinga beveled nose, a series of rotatable notched tumblers, a dog pivoted tosaid bolt within the casing and having'a nose adapted to engage notchesof the tumblers, a slidable bar serving as a safety stop for the bolt,the same being arranged at right angles to the dog and having a pinprojecting through and accessible from the outer side of the casing,guides fixed on the inner side of the casing between which said bar isguided, a spring acting on said bar, a support adapted to hold said barin its retracted position, said support consisting of a pivotedspring-actuated hook whose free end is adapted to engage the bar, and isarranged in the path of the dog in the manner set forth.

HORACE W. WVOODRUFF.

WVit-nesses AMos WV. HART, SoLoN C. KEMoN.

